NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez is in the New York Yankees’ lineup as the designated hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night because he was not yet ready to play third base after missing four games with a sore groin.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi watched Rodriguez take grounders Tuesday and felt he needed more time to heal.
“I just didn’t think he had the lateral movement we wanted to see,” Girardi said Wednesday.
But Girardi felt the slugger was ready to serve as the DH and cleanup hitter after talking to him. Girardi said the three-time MVP felt he had the necessary “explosiveness” in his swing that has produced 591 career homers, but only eight this season.
